Halloween Horror Nights
by SkyeRose
Summary: Cassie convinces the gang to go to Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, Florida! Fun, hilarity, and creepy thrills ensue. Happy Halloween! No real plot here, except having fun at a Halloween event! SamJack!DanJan! May contain some scary themes. DISCONTINUED (until the muse strikes again.)
1. Chapter 1

**Halloween Horror Nights**

**Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot is mine. I do not own anything having to do with Stargate or Universal Studios or Halloween Horror Nights…except for the fact that I love them both!!**

**A/N: Okay, so I've been going to Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida for the past six years. I LOVE it!!! I just went and I'm already jonesing for next year! So…as I was waiting in line (I got fast passes; only way to go, baby!) this idea struck me. I have noticed a distinct lack of SG-1 Halloween stories, so I'm adding two. My other one should be up within a week, I think.**

**I'm not sure how long this one's gonna be.**

**Set in season five, but doesn't follow any particular episode. **

**Spoilers: Anything from the fifth season and before is fair game. LOL.**

**ENJOY!!!**

"Please?" Cassie's voice rang through the halls of the SGC as she dogged her mother's heels. "_Pretty_ please?"

Janet sighed exasperatedly. "Tell me again why I brought you with me to work today?"

"Cause you love me." Cassie shot back immediately. "Now back to the issue…_please_?"

Janet sighed again, pointedly. Cassie was _definitely_ in the throes of teenager-dom. Stuck between fifteen and sixteen…it was a…virile…time. She could be charming and loving one minute (like this morning, when she had coaxed Janet into taking her to work) and moody the next.

Now she was being persistently _whiny_.

"No." Janet stated simply, continuing towards the briefing room.

"_Please_, mom? Please, please, please, with a cherry on top?" Cassie smiled brightly when Janet shot her a look over her shoulder.

"We can't, Cass." Janet inwardly groaned. She really liked Cassie's idea, the mere thought of it bringing a slight thrill to her…but…it was entirely impractical. It would call for the base CMO and its flagship team to be very unavailable for four days.

"Remind me why, again." Cassie bounded up the stairs after her mother.

Janet stopped halfway up the stairs and turned to face her daughter, gripping her shoulders lightly. "Cass, it's too dangerous to have us be away so long."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Mom, so far as I know, no Goa'uld has threatened Earth in the last few…months." Cassie frowned as she tried to remember the last time there had been an attempt on the planet. "You guys can take four days off. You deserve it. Plus, you owe me."

"Oh, I do, do I?" Janet asked skeptically, continuing up the stairs.

"_Yes_." Cassie's tone was strained, as if talking to a particularly annoying child. "You haven't taken me anywhere in the last few _years_. Sam, Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c owe me too. When was the last time we all spent time together?"

Janet paused. "It _has_ been awhile, hasn't it?"

Cassie, sensing her mom was close to giving in, pushed a little harder. "C'mon…you know you want to. Imagine…you, me, the _famous_ SG-1…four days in Orlando, Florida, having the time of our lives at the awesomely spooky Halloween Horror Nights." Cassie waggled her eyebrows as she perched on a corner of the briefing room table. "Beautiful hotels, great food, the best company, thrills and chills, puke-worthy rides…"

"Yeah, you know how to sell it." Janet said sarcastically to Cassie's last comment. Briefly closing her eyes, she dropped her head back and gave an exaggerated groan. "Alright, _fine_! I'll ask."

Cassie squealed and threw her arms around Janet. "Whoa, hold on." Janet laughed and hugged her back. "I said I'd ask. They haven't said yes, yet."

"They will! They will! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Cassie clapped her hands together and jumped up and down a few times.

"Yeah, well, no guarantees." Janet smiled back at her daughter, her excitement was contagious. Truth be told, Janet was just as (if not more) excited than Cassie. Ever since she had seen that Travel channel show on 'Best Halloween Adventures,' she had been dying to go to Halloween Horror Nights. It looked ridiculously fun. "I also have to ask General Hammond to clear it." Janet continued.

"I'll ask him!" Cassie volunteered immediately. George Hammond was the grandfather she never had. "He won't say no to me."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, honey. This is SG-1 we're talking about. With their luck, the Goa'uld will decide this weekend is the perfect time to attack."

Cassie pouted. "Don't be so negative." She looked around. "Where _is_ Grandpa George?"

"Right here." Hammond said, climbing the last few stairs. "Why does it look suspiciously like you want something?" He smiled to take the edge off his words, his eyes twinkling.

"Cause I do." Cassie said bluntly before hugging him. "Hey, Grandpa George!"

"Hey, Cass." The General's keen eyes still shown with slight suspicion. "Now, what is it you wanted to ask?"

Despite her best efforts to keep a straight face, Cassie gave him a guilty smile. "Before I say anything, you have to promise to think about it."

The General raised his eyebrow and turned his attention to Janet. She was studiously ignoring the both of them, awarding a paper folder an unorthodox amount of attention. When she felt Hammond's eyes on her, she glanced up and smiled in that 'you can't blame me for any of this' sort of way.

"Alright. I'll think about it." Hammond agreed slowly, a nasty feeling that he was going to regret this creeping into his brain.

Cassie paused, trying to think of the most persuasive thing she could say. "Well…as you know, it's October." Hammond nodded in confirmation. "And Halloween is in October." Hammond nodded again. "And…I was just wondering…if maybe mom, Sam, Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c could have a few days off so we could go to a Halloween thing in Florida?" Cassie finished in a rush, looking nervously at Hammond.

Hammond's expression didn't change. Apparently, years of being in the military also came in handy when dealing with teenagers. "Hm." He said, turning away from Cassie, and moving to the head of the briefing table. Cassie watched him go, biting her lip and holding her breath. Janet gave her daughter an encouraging smile and wink and took her seat.

Cassie, too wired to stay still, moved to the head of the table and fidgeted. "Grandpa?"

Hammond didn't meet her eyes. He knew that if he did, his face would split into a huge grin…which would totally blow his calm and collected demeanor. "You're asking me…to _lend_ you my best team…and my CMO?" he kept his voice toneless, not allowing even a hint of mirth into it.

"Um…yeah?" Cassie winced at the way he sounded. _'Please, please, please…say yes!'_

"And all this…just for _Halloween_?" He questioned putting a fake scoff into his voice.

"Please, Grandpa George?" Cassie burst, throwing "patient" silence out the window. "Please? It's just four days, I promise they'll only be a phone call away. It's just…I haven't been on vacation in years and SG-1 and mom _never_ have vacation…" Cassie paused and, noticing that Hammond was still regarding her in silence, continued. "C'mon, Grandpa George, they all deserve time off and this Halloween Horror Nights thing looks really fun…and I think they'd really like it…and besides, this mountain needs to be able to keep running even if mom, Sam, and the guys aren't here." Cassie finished, breathing hard.

She frowned. That hadn't sounded convincing at all. In fact…it kinda sounded like she was sort of _accusing_ him for not giving them time off. And for running a base that was inadequate without its premiere team and head doctor.

Whoops.

Hammond sighed and turned to Cassie, bracing his hands on the table, but not sitting. "Cassandra Fraiser." He started, in a deep, threatening voice. Cassie grimaced, but held her ground. Then Hammond grinned. "Of course you can go. SG-1 is due for some downtime and so is your mother. You're all on a week's stand down as soon as today's shift ends." He nodded at Janet who smiled gratefully, if not a little wary, then turned back to Cassie. "You want the honors of telling SG-1?"

"Yes! Thank you so, so, so, so, so much!!! I love you! I love you! I love you!" Cassie squealed in a very uncharacteristic way and bolted from the room after quickly hugging her mother. As her brunette head disappeared down the stairwell, Hammond met Janet's eyes and laughed.

"I've never seen her so excited before." Hammond said, shaking his head in amusement.

Janet rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Every Halloween this is all I hear. Besides Christmas, this is the only other holiday she wants to celebrate. She loves that it gives people an opportunity to be somebody else. I think, when she was younger, she felt that she fit in more if everybody was being somebody else. It's kinda carried on over the years."

"And this Halloween Terror Nights?" Hammond asked.

Janet chuckled. "Halloween _Horror_ Nights." She corrected. "And that's my fault. I was watching a program on the Travel Channel and she wandered into my room and watched it with me. They showed a segment on HHN and Cassie fell in love. She's been begging me to go ever since."

"Florida?" The General asked, remembering Cassie's rushed explanation.

"Yep. Orlando, Florida. Two thousand miles away."

"You'll have fun." Hammond smiled, knowing the doctor was hiding most of her excitement.

A small smile played across Janet's lips. "Yeah." A laugh rippled across the room at the mental image that just barraged her brain. "I can just imagine Teal'c walking through the 'Scare Zones.'" At Hammond's questioning look, she explained. "There are eight haunted houses throughout Universal Studios, which is a theme park in Orlando."

"Like Disney?"

"But for older people." Janet confirmed. "Anyway, there are a few passages in between the entrances to these haunted houses that have a bunch of people dressed up in these elaborate costumes that hide in the shadows and jump out at you."

Hammond shook his head in amusement. "You better make sure you explain to Teal'c that none of it is real. I don't want any…incidents."

Janet worried her lip. "Yeah. I'll show him that Travel Channel segment. Lord knows you should never try to surprise a Jaffa."

"Not unless you have a death wish." Hammond finished.

"Right." Janet agreed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey, Cassie!" A few airmen leaving the commissary greeted her as she made to enter.

"Hey." Cassie nodded to each before pushing through the doors and scanning the room. Sam hadn't been in the control room, her lab, or Daniel's lab. That left the commissary or her private quarters.

Spotting a familiar blonde head at the far corner of the room, Cassie gingerly made her way through the maze of tables, opening her mouth to call out. It wasn't until she was halfway there that she saw Sam wasn't alone.

Jack was sitting across from her, grinning smugly at whatever he had said to make her laugh. Sam's empty fork was hanging forgotten in midair, as her head tilted back with the force of her laugh. Jack, taking advantage of her momentary distraction, stole the fork, dug it into the large piece of cake that sat between them on the table. He shoveled the forkful of spongy goodness into his mouth as Sam complained quietly in protest.

"That was supposed to be my forkful!"

"Nuh-uh." Jack replied, licking his lips, and giving her a 'cat ate the canary' grin. Sam blushed lightly and snatched the fork from his fingers.

"Now I get two." She grinned happily, the fork sliding through the cake.

"Carter." Jack sighed. "I am your commanding officer. I order you to give me that fork." He smiled to let her know he was only joking.

Sam looked aghast. "No way, sir. _You_ invited _me_ for cake. _You _decided we should _share_."

"Exactly. Me. Now, give." He reached for the fork, but she held it out of his reach, laughing.

"No, sir."

"No, sir?" he questioned. Her only response was another laugh as she yanked the fork out of his reach again. "That's insubordination, Major." Jack teased, giving her his best 'I'm a badass CO and you will give me what I want' stare.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Never."

"Major…" he warned.

"Colonel…" she teased back, drawing out his rank.

He smiled at her and cocked his head. "You leave me no choice."

Sam raised her eyebrows suspiciously. Jack, still holding her gaze, grinned cockily, and plunged his fingers into the cake.

"Sir!" Sam cried in protest as he brought his cake-covered fingers to his mouth. "That was mature."

Jack swallowed the cake and shrugged in exaggerated nonchalance. "When did I ever claim to be mature?"

Sam frowned and gave him a small pout before digging the fork back into the cake. At his amused stare, she shrugged. "I've eaten worse."

"Carter." Jack laughed again.

Cassie still stood in the middle of the commissary watching the exchange. She wished they would just listen to her and get together already. It was _exhausting_ having to watch them be so careful all of the time, walking on eggshells around each other…it was nice to see those rare moments when they were completely relaxed with each other.

Like now.

Cassie was jostled as a Lieutenant stumbled over a chair leg. "Oh, sorry miss!" he said. "Hey, Cass!" he said (rather loudly) when he saw who she was.

Sam and Jack turned towards the slight disturbance and Cassie gritted her teeth. Why were they _always_ interrupted? Those rare, picture perfect moments between her two friends were forever being interrupted. "Lieutenant." Cassie replied testily.

"Cassie!" Sam said as the teen came towards their table. "Janet didn't mention that you were coming today." She hugged the girl tightly before releasing her.

"Yeah." Cassie replied, her voice slightly muffled as Jack hugged her too. "It was a last minute thing."

"You mean you begged her to take you this morning?" Jack said, a teasing smirk lifting the corners of his mouth.

"Maybe." Cassie said evasively as she took the seat next to Sam. "So…cake, huh?" Sam stiffened and gently kicked Cassie's leg under the table. She recognized that tone of voice. Teasing her about Jack when it was just her, Cassie, and Janet at _home_ was fine…the SGC was no place for that.

Cassie winced but didn't say anything, knowing that Sam wouldn't want Jack to know why she was kicking her.

"Yep." Jack dug into the cake with his fingers again.

"Nice." Cassie said sarcastically.

"Tell me about it." Sam said in a theater whisper, making sure Jack heard her.

"Hey, now! No ganging up on me." Jack shook his head in mock frustration.

Cassie and Sam rolled their eyes. "Anyhoo…" Cassie said, bouncing a little in her chair. "I've got really good news."

Sam and Jack glanced at each other. "Uh-oh." They said at the same time.

"No, I'm serious. I think you guys'll like what I have to say." Cassie raised her eyebrows and fidgeted some more.

"Alright." Sam said.

"Shoot." Jack agreed.

"Okay, so, first…Grandpa George's given you guys and mom a week off." Cassie waited for their looks of shock to move into confusion before continuing. "Beeecause…" she drew out the word. "We're going on a trip."

"We are?" Jack asked.

"Where?" Sam said at the same time.

"Was I aware of this?" Jack asked before Cassie could answer the first two questions.

Cassie looked back and forth between the identical looks of confusion on the officer's faces. "Yes to Jack's first question, no to his second. And, to answer your question Sam, we're going to Orlando, Florida!"

"For what?" Sam and Jack asked simultaneously.

"For a little Halloween fun!" Cassie smiled brightly. She sighed when the two failed to share her excitement. "Have you ever heard of Halloween Horror Nights?"

To her surprise, they both nodded. "Mark and his wife went down there a few years ago. Said it was impressive." Sam said, nodding to herself.

"Few of my buddies went there a couple years ago, too. They said the same." Jack motioned to Sam, indicating her previous words.

"Well…good." Cassie continued. "Anyway, mom and Grandpa George said it'd be okay if we all went!" she waited for a reaction.

Any reaction at all.

Instead, they just continued to look at her like she was crazy.

"I'm not kidding, guys. Grandpa George gave it the okay. You're on downtime as soon as your shift today ends." Cassie fidgeted again when she still got no response. A flicker of amusement and mischief in both their eyes gave them away. "Guys!" Cassie pouted when she realized they'd been messing with her.

"Sorry, Cass." Sam smiled. "I'd love to go."

"Me too." Jack smiled at the teen. "I'm assuming Danny and T are invited, too?"

"Definitely." Cassie confirmed, nodding her head vigorously.

"Bet Janet's happy about that." Sam rolled her eyes slightly, but smiled when Cassie giggled.

"You know she is. She'll never admit it, though." _'Neither will you.'_ Cassie added to herself as she grinned conspiratorially at Sam.

"It's too bad. They're cute together." Sam agreed.

Jack listened to the exchange, very confused. "Who? Daniel and Teal'c?" Jack asked, a note of horror in his voice.

"No." Cassie said in a voice usually reserved for three year olds. "Mom and Daniel."

Jack's jaw dropped and his eyes moved to lock with Sam's. "W-what?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Men."

"Hey! I represent that." Jack grinned cheekily, quickly hiding his shock at what was coming out of their mouths.

Both women groaned, but smiled none the less. "Come on, Jack, it's kinda obvious." Cassie swiped some frosting with her finger.

"It is?" Jack looked at his 2IC for confirmation.

Sam's eyes twinkled with humor. "Yes, sir." The humor faltered as Jack continued to stare at her. It was replaced with…something else. Something neither of them were allowed to name.

Cassie, sensing the potential trouble they'd be in for the whole 'gazing into each other's eyes' thing, cleared her throat loudly, hating herself for interrupting them…again.

They snapped out of it. Sam blushed and Jack coughed embarrassedly. Cassie smiled and stood up. "I'm gonna go tell Daniel and Teal'c. You wanna come or stay here and finish your cake?"

Sam and Jack looked at the mangled remains of what _had_ been a piece of chocolate cake. Sam wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I think the cake has had enough."

"We should put it out of its misery." Jack agreed.

"I'm not eating that." Sam raised her hands and shook her head.

"I was suggesting that we throw it away." Jack said, as though the answer was obvious. Sam rolled her eyes again.

Jack picked up the cake and dumped it in the trashcan as they left the commissary.

This was gonna be fun.

**A/N: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Surviving the Trip**

**Disclaimer: Only my stuff is mine. I own nothing Stargate or Universal and its affiliates.**

**A/N: I know, it's past Halloween…but, lets just pretend that it's still October 31, shall we? LOL. **

**ENJOY!!!**

Jack was going to kill somebody. He really was. The two and a half hour plane trip was dragging into what felt like days. Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Janet had all insisted on chartering a military plane for the trip down to Orlando, but Cassie wouldn't hear any of it. She said that she wanted to travel how "normal people" traveled. Teal'c had agreed with her, saying that he would be, "most interested in experiencing a 'commercial flying aircraft.'"

So here they were. On a 'commercial flying aircraft' filled with four hundred other passengers. Four hundred loud, obnoxious, complaining, smelly, shifty passengers. Jack hated flying commercial; he hated being in a confined space with hundreds of people he didn't know or trust.

He knew that Sam hated it too. If the way she had kept shifting and surveying the other passengers was any indication. Her gaze had swept over everyone she could see, seizing them up, determining if anyone would be a serious threat.

He was doing the same thing.

The seats were arranged six in a row with a narrow aisle separating them into three and three. Luckily for them, their party had six. This meant that no one had to sit next to a creepy stranger. Cassie, Daniel, and Janet sat on the left side of the plane; row 26, with seats A, B, and C. Sam, Jack, and Teal'c sat on the right side of the craft; row 26, with seats D, E, and F.

Cassie sat in the window seat; it was her first time flying. Every once in awhile she would let out low squeals of delight when the clouds parted and she could see the ant-sized towns and miniature mountains as they flew over them. Janet sat next to her, alternating between reading her magazine and doing paperwork. Daniel was on the end, constantly moving his elbow so as not to get hit with the drink cart.

On the other side of the plane, Teal'c also sat in the aisle seat. He had chosen it in an attempt to have more leg room, but that hope was squashed when he became frustrated with having to shift his position every time someone walked by. Jack sat in the middle seat. Sam had offered him the window seat, thinking that if she (who was smaller than Teal'c and the colonel) sat in between them, they'd be more comfortable. But, he had declined and told her to enjoy the view.

She was currently sleeping.

With her head on Jack's shoulder.

And he was _so_ not complaining.

Jack closed his eyes. Maybe Carter had the right idea. If he was sleeping, he didn't have to be aware of all the _annoying_ people sharing the tiny space. He had to admit, however, this was nothing compared to the airport.

It had just been incident after incident at DIA (Denver International Airport). They had gotten there without too much trouble, only a little behind schedule. Getting through the mass of fellow flyers hadn't been too difficult either. With Teal'c taking point, people had practically jumped out of the group's way.

But, this also meant security had followed them through the entire airport. When the large group reached the security checkpoint, Teal'c had been forced to remove his hat and show his tattoo in all its glory. It had set off the metal detector and TSA had questioned him at length about it.

When they had finally been allowed to pass, they all breathed a sigh of relief. "You see why we should have chartered a plane?" Janet hissed to her daughter.

After getting their boarding passes and checking their luggage, they had to find their gate and wait for boarding to be called. Because of their military status, they were granted 'elite access,' which meant that they could board before everyone else. That was all fine and dandy…until Cassie wondered off without telling anyone. They had scoured the area until finding her in a very…flirtatious…conversation with the sandwich guy in the in-airport Subway.

Janet had dragged her away, speaking dangerously about canceling the trip. Cassie had rolled her eyes, muttered a half-assed apology, and went to go sulk in the terminal chairs. Janet and Sam looked at each other, allowing small smiles to play across their lips. They remembered what it was like to be fifteen.

Meanwhile, Daniel, Teal'c, and Jack were glaring at the 'sub-boy' dangerously. No one messed with Cass.

Even if said girl hadn't minded the attention.

After the plane had been delayed for over an hour, they had finally gotten on and seated. Nearly two hours later and Jack was really starting to get antsy. He hated sitting for long periods of time.

Sam shifted her head and Jack glanced down, only to be met with two very sleepy blue eyes. "Sir?" Sam mumbled, trying to remember where they were and why they were there.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Jack greeted, giving her a cocky half-smile.

Sam blinked a few times, clearing the cobwebs of sleep. Lifting a hand to ruffle her hair, she suddenly realized where her head was.

On _his_ shoulder.

She had been sleeping on _his_ shoulder.

Sam froze. "Uh, sir?"

"Yeah, Carter?" his voice was amused. Evidently, she had just noticed where she had been sleeping.

"Did I…?"

"Yes, you did, Carter." Jack smiled to himself. She was adorable.

"I'm sorry, sir." Sam said, lifting her head hurriedly from its comfortable resting position.

Jack glanced down at her. "Not a problem, Carter. I make a good pillow."

She blushed and met his eyes embarrassedly before ducking her head. "Um, thank you, sir." She said awkwardly as he continued to watch her.

Jack grinned and nudged her shoulder playfully with his. "Anytime, Sam."

'_Sam.'_ She repeated in her head. _'He really needs to say my name more often.'_ She hid the shiver of pleasure that ran through her at the contact and sound of her name on his lips.

Clearing her throat and glancing out the window, she said, "How much longer till we land?"

Jack glanced at his watch. "Damn."

"What?" Sam looked up a slight alarm.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I just forgot to set my watch for the time change." Jack frowned, trying to remember the time zone change between Colorado and Florida.

"Orlando's two hours ahead." Sam supplied after watching the colonel think for a minute.

"In that case…about forty-five minutes."

Sam nodded and leaned forward to get Janet's attention. "Janet?"

The doctor jumped and looked around. She had been dozing over her paperwork. "Yeah?" she yawned.

"What hotel are we staying at?"

"Um…wait, give me a minute." She bent down, looking for her bag. "Oof, Daniel, my bag's under your foot."

"Point being?" Daniel grinned cheekily, but didn't move off of the bag.

Janet rolled her eyes and swatted at his legs until he moved away. Pulling the bag onto her lap, she dug around for a few seconds, frowning and muttering to herself.

Jack glanced down at Carter, she was still leaning over, her chin practically on his knee. She met his eyes and shrugged, indicating Janet with her chin. Jack gave her a lopsided grin and shrugged back.

"The Royal Pacific!" Janet called out triumphantly. When several passengers turned to look at the outburst, Janet flushed and muttered, "Sorry." Daniel laughed and Janet smacked his arm lightly. "Yeah, ha ha. So amusing."

"Thanks." Sam said, fighting to hide her amused grin. "How's Cassie doing?" The girl had been extremely nervous during takeoff, grabbing her mother's hand in a death grip.

Janet glanced next to her at her daughter. Cassie's forehead looked like it was permanently glued to the window, her fingers curled around the small ledge. "She's loving it." Janet said, turning back to Sam. Sam smiled back at her friend and returned to an upright position.

Jack, noticing the faraway look in her eyes, turned to her. "Carter? You okay?"

She blinked and looked at him. "What? Oh, yeah." She smiled faintly. "I was just remembering what Mark said to me my first time flying." Jack waited for her to continue. Carter was a military brat. Jack was sure she had flown a lot when she was younger; much like he had with his parents.

"Oh?" Jack said, when she didn't elaborate.

Sam jumped slightly, his voice pulling her out of her thoughts. "Yeah. He was sitting next to me and I was looking out the window. He leaned over, grabbed my shoulders, and mock-tugged, saying that on a little girl's first time in a plane, their big brother had to throw them out the window." Sam smiled slightly. "I remember I told him that I was too big to fit out the window and that he shouldn't try to scare me."

Jack grinned, picturing a mini-Carter telling off her older brother for trying to frighten her.

"Major Carter, should an elder brother not try and protect his younger sibling from danger, rather than cause it?" Teal'c asked, inclining his head and raising an eyebrow.

Sam laughed. "You're absolutely right, Teal'c." She shook her head. "But, sometimes older brothers like to mess with their little sisters. They think it's funny."

"Indeed, they do." Jack agreed, laughing along with Carter.

Teal'c looked at his two friends. Sometimes the ways of the Tau'ri really baffled him.

……………………………………………………………….

"Finally!" Cassie exclaimed, tumbling from the rented van. They had gotten the biggest size, but, with all six of them in there…it was a _really _tight fit.

"You can say that again." Jack grumbled. He had been forced to sit in the back with Teal'c and, while he loved the big guy, he took up a lot of space.

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.

They grabbed their bags and made their way into the lobby. A rush of cool air ruffled their hair (except Teal'c's, of course) and they breathed in the clean smelling lobby air.

The hotel was designed to look like something off of a Caribbean island. The buildings were a muted yellow, with brown trimmings. The lobby was decorated in dark wood and light tile. In the middle of the big room was a glass enclosure, surrounding a fountain with 'elephants' spraying water from their trunks. A gift shop lay immediately to their right and, a little further into the room, looked to be a peaceful sitting area with large bay windows overlooking the pool.

"Check-in's over there." Janet pointed to their left to a dark wood and marble counter, where a line was growing.

"Man…this place is really crowded." Sam said to Jack as they joined the line of people waiting to check into their rooms.

"Definitely." Jack surveyed the lobby, noting the exits. _'Just in case.'_ He told himself.

"Hi! Welcome to the Royal Pacific! Is this your first time staying with us?" a cheerful voice said from behind them. Janet stepped up to the counter.

"Hi." She greeted back. "Um, yes, this is our first time staying here."

"Well, then let me just tell you a little bit about our hotel." The woman behind the desk said, smiling. As she explained to Janet about the layout of the hotel, the restaurants and shops located on the ground floor next to the pool, and the room amenities, Cassie looked around.

The hotel really was gorgeous. And crowded! _'Halloween Horror Nights must be really popular!' _ She wandered to the glass enclosure and watched the water shoot from the elephants' trunks and land with a splash in the large stone fountain. Turning back to look at her friends, she took a moment to just watch them, as though removed from the group.

Daniel was standing next to her mother at the counter, standing closer to her than he normally would. Teal'c was on Daniel's other side, carefully observing the woman behind the counter and listening to her speak intently. Cassie realized that this was his first time away from Colorado on vacation.

Sam and Jack were standing a little ways away, looking around the lobby. Jack was standing almost protectively close to Sam and she had her body turned towards him. If Cassie didn't know them, she'd say they were a couple.

They looked absolutely perfect together. And the way their eyes sparkled when their gazes met…Cassie wished someone would look at _her_ like that.

Looking between the two "couples" Cassie couldn't help but notice how much more relaxed they were with each other. "Mountain must be pretty oppressive." Cassie muttered to herself, knowing it was no coincidence that her mom and Daniel's comfort with each other; much like Sam and Jack's, was severely greater because they were several states away from their work.

Cassie smiled sadly, wishing they could all just see how perfect each was for the other. Walking back to her mother's side, she caught the tail end of what the employee was saying.

"…that about covers it." The woman said brightly. "Now, how many rooms do you have?"

"Two." Janet said. "Both under the name Fraiser."

The woman nodded and tapped a few keys. "Janet?"

"That's me." Janet nodded and handed over her credit card.

"You're not paying for both rooms?" Daniel asked, a frown descending over his features.

"Nope." Janet said happily. "The Air Force is."

Daniel's eyes widened. "How'd you manage that?"

"I have my ways." She winked.

Cassie rolled her eyes. As cute as they were together, she really could do without the flirting. It creeped her out a little.

"I see you're platinum members!" a male voice boomed from Cassie's right. She looked around and saw two other people checking in next to her.

"Yes." The man checking in replied pleasantly. He was tall, 6'2 or 6'3 with dark hair sprinkled with silver. He wore a white button down business shirt tucked into blue jeans and cowboy boots. Normally, Cassie would laugh at the boots…but they seemed to work for him. He in no way looked hill-billy-ish or farm-y. He looked like a business man.

The girl standing next to him (who Cassie assumed was his daughter) was tall as well. She looked to be about Cassie's age, standing at about 5'6. She had long light brown hair that fell in soft waves to the middle of her back and dark brown eyes. She was wearing dark jeans and a burgundy jacket. She smiled at the male employee and nodded her head.

As if feeling Cassie's eyes on her, the girl turned. When she caught Cassie's eye she gave a small grin before turning back to the counter and accepting the room keys the man held out.

"Thank you." She said, smiling politely. The employee nodded and smiled back, the grin looking more like a leer. Cassie knew the girl noticed the man's appraising eyes, but ignored him, turning to her father. "Check it out! Club level!"

Her father nodded and smiled. "Indeed." Cassie almost giggled at the man's use (though unknowingly) of Teal'c's favorite phrase.

"Guess being platinum counts for something, huh?" She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Tower three." The girl began walking purposefully across the lobby. Cassie got the feeling that she had been here before. Her father kept an easy pace with her.

Cass eyes moved to the floor as if of their own accord. Where the girl's bag had been was a thin notebook bursting with papers. Cassie bent and picked it up, turning her head to find the girl. She was halfway across the lobby. Without turning to tell her mother where she was going, Cassie hurried towards the pair.

"Wait! Hey, wait a minute!" the girl stiffened and turned, eyes sweeping the lobby for whoever was calling. Cassie was surprised to see the distrust muddling her gaze before it landed on Cassie. The girl frowned when Cassie skidded to a halt in front of her. "You dropped this." Cassie said, giving them both a small smile.

"Oh! Thank you!" The girl smiled genuinely at Cassie.

Cass smiled back and glanced at the name on the notebook as she handed it over. "No problem, Sam. Oh, hey! That's my friend's name." Cassie said, automatically turning and gesturing to the blonde head belonging to Sam.

"Cool." Sam said politely. "Guess my uniqueness just went out the window." She laughed, letting Cassie know she was just kidding. "Thank you again." She nodded to Cassie and moved to turn away.

"Um, wait." Cassie kicked herself. She really liked this girl; she seemed like she'd be a lot of fun to hang out with. That was the only reason she could think of that she would continue to talk to a stranger. "Sorry, it's just…you seem like you've been here before…and I was wondering if you know any good places to eat?"

Sam looked Cassie up and down, as though gauging how genuine she was. A minute later, she laughed and met Cassie's eyes. "Oh, yeah. We've been here tons of times." She gestured to her father, who smiled at Cassie. "There are a lot of places to eat on the ground floor, but I recommend Jake's."

"Jake's?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, it's right down those stairs over there." Sam pointed to a staircase to their right. "They have steak, salad, sandwiches, and some pretty mean desserts."

"Sweet." Cassie said, copying Jack's phrase.

"Yeah. My dad and I were actually going to head down there once we dropped our bags off." Sam smiled again. "Maybe we'll see you there?"

"Ah…yeah, probably." Cassie turned to glance at her friends. They seemed to have finished checking in.

"Alright." Sam smiled brightly. "Later!"

"Yeah, see ya!" Cassie smiled back and began walking back to her group. She saw Sam and her dad disappear into the elevators.

"Hey, Cass, who was that you were talking to?" Janet asked as they met her daughter halfway.

Cassie half shrugged. "Her name's Sam. She dropped her notebook by the desk and I ran to give it back to her. She's been here a lot, so I asked her about food places."

"Oh? What did she recommend?" Janet asked as they made their way into the Tower 2 elevators.

"Jake's. It's right down those stairs in the lobby." Cassie replied, pressing the button for the fourth floor. "That okay for you guys?"

They all shrugged at each other. "Sure. It's not like we know any place better." Jack answered for the group. "So, her name was Sam, huh?" Cassie nodded. "Looks like you've got competition, Carter."

Sam rolled her eyes. "No competition, colonel. Sam is a very common name."

Jack winced. "No 'colonels,' Carter! No 'sirs,' either!"

"Sorry, sir." Sam smiled cheekily as they stepped off the elevator.

"Yeah, yeah." Jack grumbled.

Daniel, Teal'c, Janet, and Cassie all shared a knowing, slightly exasperated look. These two people were absolutely perfect for each other. Why couldn't they see that?

Janet, Cassie, and Sam entered their hotel room with a promise to meet the boys by the elevators in half an hour for dinner. Daniel and Jack rolled their eyes, muttering something about a girl's half an hour being more like an hour. Teal'c merely nodded and led the way into the room, which was right next to the girls'.

Cassie took a running leap and landed on the bed closest to the door. "Mine!" she called.

"Ours." Janet corrected, also collapsing on the plush comforter.

Sam dumped her stuff by the second bed and looked out the large panoramic window. They had a view of the pool and, over the tops of the trees, you could see a few of the rides in Islands of Adventure.

"WooHoo!" Cassie exclaimed suddenly, looking at her watch. It was almost 7:00 PM.

"What?" Sam and Janet raised their eyebrows.

"This time tomorrow we'll be going to Halloween Horror Nights!"

**TBC**

**A/N: I know, a lot of boring details…but I love this hotel and wanted to do it some justice. Sam is kinda important; she'll be Cassie's sort of unofficial guide.**

**Please R&R!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Dinner**

**Disclaimer: Only my stuff is mine!**

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews!**

**ENJOY MUCHLY!!!**

Jack looked out the bay window next to the elevators. "How long do you think they'll be?" he asked Daniel, who was sitting on the cushioned bench near the window.

"Who knows? Sam and Janet I'm not too worried about, what with their military speed and all…but, Cassie…" Daniel raised his eyebrows pointedly.

"Yeah. Aren't teenagers into all that…makeup…stuff?" Jack frowned. He honestly didn't know when girls started to wear make-up. He made a mental note to ask Carter.

Daniel shrugged and Teal'c cast the two men a puzzled, slightly amused look. "On Chulak, a warrior begins to wear…make-up…when he reaches the year of responsibility." Teal'c frowned when he said make-up. He had not realized that the black powder he used to wear on his eyes had a name.

Jack and Daniel shared a look, before turning back to their large friend. "Year of responsibility?" Jack asked, cocking his head.

"In Earth years, it equates to eighteen." Teal'c bowed his head slightly.

"Oh." Daniel readjusted his glasses, frowning when Jack snorted. "I guess that make sense."

"Indeed." Teal'c responded, shooting Jack a disdainful look.

Jack shrugged. "I don't care what anyone says, no teenager is responsible."

"Hey! I take offense to that!" Cassie's mockingly-irate voice rang from behind them.

"You know, sir," Sam gave him a half-smile. "Just because you were a troublemaker as a teen doesn't mean we all were."

"Oh? I suppose you were a perfect teenager, Carter?" Jack shot back, grinning when she glared at him.

"That's classified, sir." She pressed the down button on the elevator, a sly smile escaping her serious façade.

"I have clearance." Jack quipped as he held the doors open for everybody to get in. When they were all settled he stepped onto the lift, and removed his hand from the door, allowing them to shut.

"Uh…no, you don't." Sam leaned against the wall and studiously ignored her CO.

"Carter…" he drew out her name suspiciously. Sam clamped her jaw shut and stared straight ahead. Cassie and Teal'c shared an exasperated, yet curious look. Daniel was looking between Sam and Jack in amusement. And Janet?

Janet was biting her cheeks in a valiant effort not to laugh.

Jack saw this and immediate focused the interrogation to her.

"Doc? Feel like sharing what's so amusing?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Nuh-uh." Janet said, jaw working desperately.

Jack narrowed his eyes. "What do you know?"

"Nothing." Janet shrugged and tried to look innocent.

"Uh, guys…" Daniel gestured to the open doors and people waiting to get on.

"Sorry." Janet smiled sheepishly at the impatient travelers.

As the group filed off the elevators, Sam hung back in an attempt to avoid any more questions from the colonel. Jack, however, anticipated her action and fell into step beside her. He knew he was walking too close…but, hey…she didn't move away.

"Can I help you, _colonel_?" Sam stressed his rank in an effort to annoy him away.

"I believe you can, _Sam_." He stressed her name pointedly.

Sensing that he wasn't going to let this go, Sam decided to throw him a small bone. "Look…it's nothing…really. I just…didn't like it…when people…made fun of me." Sam spoke haltingly, trying to choose her words carefully. When Jack shot her a 'that's not good enough' look, she sighed. "I moved around a lot when I was a kid. I was always the geeky kid who didn't talk in class."

"You? Geeky?" Jack nudged her shoulder playfully.

"Yes, sir." Sam smiled at him brilliantly. He made a 'go on' motion. "Well, when my dad was stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia, I was starting my first year in High School. Well, technically my first year; I went in as a Junior."

"A genius even back then, eh, Carter?" Jack smiled as they followed their friends down the lobby stairs to the ground level.

"Hardly." Sam snorted modestly. Waving her hand to stave off any protests, Sam continued. "Anyway, this other Junior girl, I can't remember her name…she didn't like me much."

"Oh?" Jack frowned. He couldn't imagine not liking Carter. Unfortunately…that was his problem.

"Yeah. She was convinced I was trying steal her boyfriend. To this day, I don't even know who her boyfriend was. Anyway, she did some…pretty awful things to me…and I got fed up."

"What did you do?" Jack asked, making a mental note not to piss her off.

"It was an honest mistake." Sam's eyes flashed with mischief. I _accidentally_ put a balloon filled with hydrogen near her ponytail. Then I _accidentally_ turned on the Bunsen burner which, and I had _no idea_ that _this _would happen, reacted with the gas and…" Sam trailed off, blushing slightly.

"And…?" Jack prompted.

"And the balloon exploded, setting her hair on fire." Sam finished.

Jack walked in stunned silence for a moment before a large grin spread across his face. Draping a casual arm around her shoulders and pulling her against his side he said, "You're brilliant, you know that?"

Sam blushed and unconsciously leaned more fully against him. "No. It was the wrong thing to do."

"Yet you don't sound too…apologetic."

"She deserved it." Sam pouted petulantly and Jack laughed.

"Only you, Sam." His use of her name sent a shiver down her spine. His arm tightened slightly. "Cold?"

"No…Jack." The colonel smiled, holding her gaze.

Daniel cleared his throat.

Loudly.

"Guys…our table's over there." He jerked his thumb behind him at the amused faces of Janet and Teal'c.

Apparently, as Sam and Jack had been talking, their friends had talked to the hostess and been seated.

Whoops.

"Thanks for telling us, Daniel." Jack started off after the younger man, leaving his arm around Sam's shoulders.

Daniel shrugged cheekily. "You looked…preoccupied."

Sam rolled her eyes and swatted Daniel, careful not to displace Jack's arm. Jack pulled out a chair for Sam then settled himself next to her, reluctantly releasing her shoulders.

"Where's Cass?" Sam asked, picking up her menu.

"Talking to her new friend." Janet smiled and pointed over Sam's left shoulder. Sam turned slightly.

Cassie was a little ways away, standing near a raised platform at the entrance to the restaurant, talking to the pretty girl from the lobby. The girl had changed and was now wearing a pair of dark shorts and a light gray T-shirt with the British flag on it. Cass had also changed into a pair of shorts, but was wearing a dark green v-neck to compliment her hair.

Cass was gesturing animatedly and the other girl was laughing. She pointed out one of the windows and the girl, Sam, nodded. Cassie watched her avidly as she, apparently, answered one of Cass's questions. Sam half-turned to face another window and pointed out of it, continuing her narrative.

"Sam!" the girl's head whipped around to face her father.

"Yeah?" she called back quietly.

Her father jerked his head to the man standing next to him. "What do you want to order?"

The waiter looked at who her father was talking to and ran appreciative eyes over both girls. Even from their table across the room, the group could see Cassie turn bright red as she noticed the man's attention. Sam, on the other hand, averted her eyes in false ignorance and smiled at Cassie. She said something and Cassie laughed.

Cassie touched Sam's arm lightly and nodded her head to the adults at her table. Sam looked at them over her shoulder and flushed slightly when she saw they were all staring. Turning back to Cassie she nodded and held up a finger. Cass smiled and walked back to her table.

"Spying, much?" Cass smiled when she reached her group.

"Just watching out for you." Janet grinned.

"I think the waiter liked you, Cass." Sam poked the girl playfully.

"Ha ha." Cassie scrunched her nose at Sam. "Anyway, I want to introduce you guys to Sam. She knows a lot about this place. She's also really nice."

"I can be." A voice said from behind Sam and Jack. They turned and met the sparkling brown eyes of Cass's new friend.

"Sam." Cass moved to stand next to Sam. "That's Dr. Jackson, Murray, Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, and my mom, Dr. Fraiser." She pointed to each respectively. In turn, Sam nodded at each of them and they nodded back, smiling warily. "Guys, this is Sam."

"Hi." Sam flushed a little, but met each of their gazes head on. She looked at Sam and Jack. "Colonel and Major? You guys Air Force?"

Sam and Jack looked at each other, surprised. "Yeah…how'd you know?" Jack said slowly, instantly on alert.

"Both my grandfathers and four of my cousins are in the Air Force. You all have a certain way of carrying yourselves." Sam held out her hand and they each shook it in turn. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." They said in unison. Cass's friend raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly.

She turned her attention to the rest of the table. "Doctors? Medical or PhD?"

"I'm medical." Cassie's mom smiled. "Thanks for the recommendation, the food here looks good."

"Oh, it is." Sam (Cassie's friend) shoved a few wayward strands of hair behind her ear. "Wait till you have dessert. It's amazing." She turned her gaze to Daniel. "PhD?"

Daniel nodded. "Archaeology." He smiled kindly at the teenager. "Call me Daniel."

"Daniel Jackson…" she paused. "That sounds really--," she broke off, a light filling her eyes. "You're not _the_ Dr. Jackson…are you?" Daniel looked a little taken aback. "Oh, god, how stupid of me. I can't believe I didn't recognize you. I love your work!"

Everybody at the table glanced between Daniel and the girl. "You…you do?" Daniel's eyes widened. "I mean…you know my work?"

"Well, your older stuff. You haven't published anything in the last few years, right?" the girl shoved her hands in her shallow pockets at Daniel's startled look. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like a psychotic fan. Forget I said anything."

"No, no, it's okay." Daniel waved his hand. "I just…didn't expect anyone your age to know my work."

The girl smiled embarrassedly. "It really is fascinating."

Daniel beamed. "Thank you!" Sensing that, if left to his own devices he would start a deep conversation with the teen, Jack cleared his throat pointedly. The light in Daniel's eyes faded slightly. "Um…if you have any questions, feel free to ask me." At a pointed look from Jack he added, "Later."

"Right." The girl shot an apologetic look to Jack. "Murray, it was nice to meet you too. Even if you don't talk much."

"I speak only when necessary." Teal'c said, bowing slightly to the girl.

"A wise sentiment." The girl nodded back. "Anyway, it was still a pleasure to meet you."

Teal'c allowed a small smile to play across his lips. "The pleasure was mine, Samantha…" he paused, frowning.

"Oh…Rojas." She answered the silent question.

Teal'c nodded once. "Samantha Rojas." He confirmed. If the girl thought it was weird that he called her by her whole name, she didn't show it.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Sam R. bounced on her toes and smiled at them all. "Well, on that awkward note, it was nice to meet you all and…enjoy your dinner."

They all nodded and Sam walked back to her table. Her father smiled as she sat down and shot Cassie's table an inquisitive, distrustful glare before turning back to his daughter. Jack grinned inwardly. He knew that if he had a daughter he would do the same thing the man was doing. Be discreet…but make sure everyone knows you'll kick their ass if they try anything.

Sam noticed the smile that played across his face. "What?" she asked.

Jack glanced up at her. "Nothing." He grinned and nudged her shoulder with his. "Whatcha getting?"

Sam grinned, letting him know that she knew he was just changing the subject. Biting her lip, she looked down at her menu. "The steak, I think."

"And a diet soda." Jack finished for her.

"Right." She grinned back. Jack smirked at her, but didn't look away when her gaze met his. The humor that had been in her eyes faded and her smile dimmed. His eyes were intense, boring into her. Sam saw his eyes darken and she unconsciously leaned forward…

When Janet's voice broke through their "moment."

"So, Cass…learn anything about the parks?" She indicated the girl's table.

"A lot, actually." Cass said distractedly, looking over the menu. "Oh, my God! Look at these desserts!" The adults all smiled and shook their heads.

A while later, once everyone had been served their food, Janet repeated her earlier question. Cassie looked up and her jaw worked furiously to down the huge bite of turkey club.

"Oh, um, yeah. Apparently, Halloween Horror Nights used to be in both Universal Studios _and_ Islands of Adventure (they're right next to each other), but the last three years it's only been in Universal." Cassie put a fry in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "This is her sixth year coming, but she says it never gets old. Oh, and we also have to check out some of the shows! She recommends Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure."

"Sounds like she knows her stuff." Jack said, swallowing a mouthful of steak.

"She does." Cass glanced up at him and narrowed her eyes slightly. "You could have been nicer to her, you know."

Jack's eyes widened innocently. "I was nice to her." Sam's loud cough did nothing to hide her snort of laughter. "What? I was." He defended.

"Actually, sir--," Sam started.

"If you're gonna disagree with me Carter, at least use my name." Jack grumbled.

"Okay, _Jack_. You were a little…cold."

Jack shot her a look. "And how was I supposed to be? We just met her. _And_ she knew we were Air Force after only hearing our ranks. You gotta admit…it's a little odd."

"I don't have to admit anything. She seemed perfectly friendly and she's right, Jack. We _do_ carry ourselves a certain way." Sam popped a grape into her mouth.

"That's…beside the point." Jack looked down at his plate. Feeling all eyes on him, he glanced up reluctantly. "Alright! _Fine_! I'll play nice."

"Good." Sam said, sounding very much like she was praising a child. "Now, eat your steak before it gets cold." She teased.

"Yes, mom." Jack obediently bent over his plate.

Janet and Daniel sniggered, while Cassie rolled her eyes, and Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"On the bright side," Daniel started cheerfully. "She knew my work!"

"And she didn't make fun of it." Jack mumbled good-naturedly.

"Ha ha." Daniel adjusted his glasses and folded his hands in front of him. "Although…you know what was weird?" Jack opened his mouth to snark off a reply, but Daniel continued hurriedly. "She didn't seem at all intimidated by you or Teal'c." At a pointed glare from Sam, he cleared his throat. "Or Sam."

"Thank you." Sam smiled happily and went back to eating her dinner.

Janet frowned slightly. "You're right. People usually walk in the other direction when they see us coming. She didn't seem the least bit nervous or anxious when she was being introduced."

Cass shrugged. "I got the impression not much intimidates her. Actually, she reminds me a lot of you." She looked at Jack. "She doesn't trust very easily and, as of yet, hasn't given away anything personal." Cassie sipped her coke. "She's really good at reading people, though."

"And I'm not?" Jack questioned, feigning hurt. Cassie just rolled her eyes.

Dinner passed in relative normalcy. They joked and bantered, with the occasional flirting between Sam and Jack or Daniel and Janet. When that started happening, either Cassie or Teal'c would cough loudly or begin talking about something stupid.

"You guys excited?" Cassie bounced in her seat and took a bite of her chocolatey dessert.

"For what?" Jack asked around a mouthful of Sam's dessert. Sam rolled her eyes and shooed his fork away as he went back for another bite.

"Tomorrow!" Cass exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I think we should go to Universal first, so we can learn the layout. It'll be easier to walk around at night that way. Then we'll go to Islands of Adventure. They've got some seriously awesome looking rides over there."

The adults shared an amused look.

A look that did not go by Cassie unnoticed.

"Fine." She pouted. "If you guys don't like it, you think of something."

"No, no, it's fine." Janet assured her daughter. "That sounds great. Right?"

"Right!" They all chorused.

"Shut up." Cass smiled and they all laughed.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.


End file.
